How did the early Church build community

1
How did the early Church build community?

• Acts 242-47

2
Acts Whats Normal in Church?

• When is something in Acts an example of what
  should be normal today?
• Are there other examples - or counter examples?
• Whats its significance in the context of Acts?
• What does the rest of the Bible say?

3

• Acts 242-47 - Should we expect these things be
  normal in our Church today?
• Devotion to means of grace.
• A sense of awe
• Apostolic miracles
• Common ownership
• Care for the needy
• Continuous daily services
• Public meetings
• Fellowship in homes
• Gladness and sincerity
• The favour of all people
• Daily conversions

4
How did the early church build community?

• The early Church community was
• Supernatural and Spiritual
• Practical and Sacrificial
• Continual and Accessibal
• Joyfal and Purposefal

5
Supernatural and Spiritual

• The Church community is built up by the
  Supernatural work of God. (v.43)
• The Church community is built up through the
  Spiritual efforts of his people. (v.42)

6
Practical and Sacrificial

• Building the Church community entails practical
  needs being met (v.44)
• Building the Church community requires personal
  sacrifices to be made (v.45)

7
Continual and Accessible

• The Church Community existing all the time (v.46)
• The Church Community manifesting in any and every
  place (v.46)

8
Joyful and Purposeful

• The Church Community should be a positive
  experience. (v.46b)
• The Church Community needs a purposeful existence
  (v.47)

9
Implications for relocation

• How does our present building location
  contribute to our sense of church community? How
  does it hinder?
• How might a future building help (or hinder)?
• Can we expect one building to do it all?